Suspenders.



Patented Nov. I3, |900.

E. T, SPECHT. SUSPENDERS. (Appxication Aiea/mr. 5,1909.)

(No Model.)

Hill HHN" W HHM NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE T. SPECHT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0E TI-IIRTEEN- TWENTIETHS TO ERNEST A. EASTMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

SUSPENDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 661,676, dated November 13, 1900.

Application led March 5, 1900. Serial No. 7,256. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE T. SPECHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in t'ne county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspenders, of which the following is a speciiication. l l

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in Suspenders of the type shown in Letters Patent No. 638,428, granted to me December 1899, and is designed to render the construction of suspenders of that general type simpler and to make them more durable.

While I have shown my improvements as applied to Suspenders of this general type, it will be understood that some details thereof might be employed in connection with suspenders of a diferent character.

To fully illustrate my invention, reference is had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, in Which the same letters of reference are used to designate identical parts in all the figures, and in Which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the complete suspender-s; Fig. 2, a detail View, on a larger scale, in section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Eig. 3 is a detail view in section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. lis a View in elevation of the connecting-piece at the back With the clamp With which it is provided shown in its open position. Fig. 5 is a rear View of the adjustable buckle on the front ends of the Suspenders, with a portion of the strap broken away to illustrate the construction. Fig. 6 is a detail view in section on the line 6 6 of Fig.

5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view on the line '7 7 of Fig. l; and Fig. 8 is a'detail View corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing a modi'- ication.

As in the construction shown in my prior patent, the main strap A consists of a single piece, preferably inelastic, which is folded over a roller in the rear connecting-piece B, While its front ends are provided with the clamps C, secured thereon and having vthe hooks D, Which take over the lower crosspiece in the buckles E, thus forming the loops F for receiving the front tabs G. With this construction, as Will be readily seen, the main strap A can slide back and forth over the roller on the rear connecting-piece B, so as to change the length of the strap on either side of the body to compensate for any side- Wise movement thereof.

My rst improvement relates to the con struction of the clamp C, its hook D, and the buckle E, with which it cooperates. As will be best seen from Figs. 5 and 6, the clamp C consists of the main body plate, in which is pivotcd the clampingjaw H, which is L shaped in vertical section, as shown in Fig. 6, and which is adapted when bronghtiinto the position shown in Fig. 6 to securely fasten the outer end of the main strap A, forming the loop F, to said clamp. The buckleE consists of the upper, middle, and lower crosspieces J, K, and L, connected by the customary side bars. These cross'pieces, necessarily the lower one, and preferably the others, have their edges turned in, as best shown in cross-section in Fig. 6, so as to form a kind of a channel out of each cross-bar, and the hook D instead of having a long hooked portion has a comparatively short one that just fits over the upper edge of the lower cross-piece L, so that when the clamp C is accidentally turned up, as to the dotted-line position in FigiG, the hook D will catch over the fiange on the cross-piece and engage it, While at the same time turning freely on it like a pivot. By this construction it Will be readily seen that I absolutely prevent thehook being disengaged from the buckle, eX- cept intentionally by a direct upward thrust 0n the hook, a movement which does not ordinarily occur accidentally.

Another feature of my invention is the dispensing With the prongs upon the buckle E, as I find that with the construction employed in which the main strap A is passed through the buckle, as clearly shown in Eig. 5, and the tension on the strap is applied to the bottom of the loop E the harder the pull upon the strap the greater the amount of friction between the strap and the buckle, so that the friction alone is suflcient to clamp the buckle tightly upon the strap A against any direct pull at the bottom of the loop, While the buckle will slide freely over the strap if the poweris applied directly to the sides of the buckle.

- Instead of passing the tabs G directly through the loop, as shownin my prior pat; ent, I prefer to use a metallic link M, which is shown in cross-section in Fig. 7, and, as will be seen, it consists of two halves of symmetrical shape stamped up and fastened together, as by the rivets N. Each half consists of the rectangular upper loop portion O and the curved channeled portion P, thetwo channeled portions P when brought together forming a tube, through which the tab G slides freely. To conveniently secure drawers-supporters of any desired form'to thelink M, I also form on each half the cross-piece Q, the two cross-pieces together forming the bar on which the drawers-supporter can be sus, pended. I may, if desired, form aprojection R at each end of one of the upper sides of the link K to loop over the other half, and thus serve to hold the parts together. This construction, however, is not essential. The rear tab S is constructed like the front tabs and is supported by a link M, similar to the ,other links, from the loop S', which is preferably formed of an elast-ic strap and is supported from the rear.connecting-piece B in the following manner: The rear connectingpiece, which is bestshown in Figs. 2 to 4;, lconsists ofthe back piece T, which has the flanges U turned out at its sides and provided with lugs, in which is secured the pin V, upon which are mounted the double antifrictionrollers W, over which the strap A Lslides. These antifriction-rollers W are made double, so that as the stress is applied to one side of the strap the roller on that side can move before the roller on the other side starts to move, and thus the strain will be applied more uniformly. I preferably form at the outer ends-of t-hese rollers W the-flanges X, which serve to con tine the strap A .in place and prevent its wearing against the flanges. Pivotally mounted in lugs formed in thelower endrof the flanges is the clamp Y, which is of the customary L shape in cross-section and has the jaws Z coperating with the ends of the strap S' which pass up into the connecting-piece B, as clearly shown in Fig. V2. The position of the ends of this loop formed by the strap S' is conveniently determined by-pushing them up so as to take against the l-ug A',

which is conveniently stamped out of they back piece T, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 to 4;. Upon this lug A', I form as a continuation thereof the smaller lug B', which is curved up slightly and serves to cooperate as a springcatch with the lug C', which is stamped out of the body of the clamp Y, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4. By employing this construction when the clamp Y is thrown into-place the catch C', taking over the catch B', serves to hold the clamp Y against any accidental movement, while yielding readily to any intentional pull thereon to release the loop S.

In case I desire to employ a rear tab, consisting of a strap suspended directly from the connecting-piece B-as shown in my prior patent, No. 638,428, above referredto-'I may form another pair of lugs on the flanges U, in which is secured a circular crosspieceD', which might be provided with an an tifrictionroller, and over which the strap forming the rear tab will pass. In case this construction is employed the clampYmight be constructed with a smooth jaw instead 'of a toothed one, as there will be very little strain upon the jaw and the smooth jaw will permit the necessary adjustment of the strap constituting the tabs.

While I have shown my invention as embodied in the form which I at present consider best `adapted for carrying out its purposes, it will be understood that it is capable of some modification and that I do not desire to be limited in the interpret-ation of` the following claims save as may be necessitated by the state of the art.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters'Patent of the United States, is`

l. In a device of the class described, the combination with the main strap having the hook C secured to its end, the hook portion D'thereof being short as shown, of the buckle E adjustable on said strap and having its lower cross-piece L formed with the rearwardly-projectingr upper edge so as to engage with said hook portion D and prevent its displacement, andthe tab supported by the loop formed by engaging the hook C with the buckle E, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of the main strap having the buckle E formed with the cross-pieces J, K and L slidingly mounted thereon, and the hook C secured to the lower end thereof and adapted to take over the cross-piece L to form a loop, With the tab G supported from said loop by a link M consisting of the two symmetrical halves secured together so as to form the linkbody proper rigidly supporting the tube P throughwhich the tab slides, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of the main strap having the buckle E formed with the cross-pieces J, K and L slidingly mountedthereon, and the hook C secured to the lower end thereof and adapted to take over the cross-piece L to forma loop, with the tab G supported from said loop by a link M consisting of the tw'o symmetrical halvesjsecured together so as to form the linkbody proper rigidly supporting the tube P through which the tab slides and having the cross-pieces Q thereon,substantially'as shown and described.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with the main strap having the hook C secured to its end, the hook portion D thereof being short as shown and the buckle E formed with the cross-pieces J, K and* Lslidingly secured thereon, the lower crosspiece I being formed with the rearwardly-pro-l jecting upper edge so as to engage with said IOC TIO

hooked portion D and preventing its displacement when engaged therewith to form the loop F, of the tab G supported from said loop.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with the main strap having the hook C secured to its end, the hook portion D thereof being short as shown and the buckle E formed with the cross-pieces J, K and L slidingly secured thereon, the lower crosspieceL being formed with the rearwardly-projecting upper edge so as to engage with said hooked portion D and prevent its displacement when engaged therewith to form the loop F, of the tab Gsupported from said loop by a link M consist-ing of the two symmetrical halves secured together to form an aperture through which the loop passes and the curved tube P through which the tab slides, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with the strap A carrying the `tabs at its ends, of the back piece B carrying the roller Wover which said strap slides and having the clamp Y beneath said roller, and the loop S formed bya strap having its ends secured in the piece B by said clamp and supporting the rear tab.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination With the strap A carrying the tabs at its end, of the back piece B carrying the roller W over which said strap slides and having the clamp Y beneath said roller, and the rear tab comprising a strap held in place by said clamp.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with the strap A carrying the tab at its ends, of the back piece B carrying the rollers W provided with the flanges X over which said strap slides and having the clamp Y beneath said rollers, and the loop S' formed bya strap having its ends secured in the said clamp and supporting a rear tab.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with the strap A carrying the tabs at its ends, of the back piece B carrying the roller W over which said strap slides and having the clamp Y beneath said roller and the projection A', and a back piece comprising a strap S' secured in said back piece by the clamp Y and having its position adj usted by the projection A', substantially as and for the purpose described.

10.` In a device of the class described, the combination with the strap A carrying the tabs at its ends, of the back piece B carrying the cross-piece over Which said strap slides and having the clamp Y secured thereto beneath said cross-piece provided with the catchlug C', and the projection A projecting inv Wardly therefrom and provided with the lug B', and the loop S' adapted to be engaged by the clamp Y.

l1. In a device of the class described, the

combination with the strap A carrying the tabs at its ends, of the back piece B carrying the cross-piece over which said strap slides and having the clamp Y beneath said crosspiece provided with the catch-lug C', the projection A' in said back piece terminating in the lug B' adapted to cooperate with the catch-lng C', and the loop S formed by a strap having its ends secured in said clamp and positioned by the lug A', substantially as and for the purpose described.

EUGENE T. SPEOHT.

Witnesses: Y

HATTIE O. HALvoRsoN, LOUISE E. SERAGE. 

